For automatic door manufacturers and exporters, understanding and complying with the safety standards of target markets is not an option—it is a mandatory requirement for market entry. In the European and US markets, two of the world's most mature and strictly regulated regions, EN 16005 (European Standard) and ANSI/BHMA A156.10 (American Standard) are two major hurdles that must be overcome. This article aims to provide a clear guide for Chinese automatic door companies, engineers, and international traders, interpreting the core requirements of these two major standards to ensure your products navigate smoothly on the international stage.
Why Are Safety Standards Crucial?
If improperly designed or installed, automatic door systems can pose serious safety risks to users, including collisions, entrapment, or hindering evacuation during emergencies. Therefore, stringent safety standards are designed to:
- Protect Public Safety: Minimize potential injuries caused by door movement.
- Clarify Responsibilities: Provide clear liability definitions and legal bases for manufacturers, installers, and building owners.
- Unify Market Access: Ensure all products sold in the market meet a recognized minimum safety level.
Products that do not comply with these standards cannot be legally sold in the respective markets and may even lead to serious product recalls and legal action.
EN 16005: The "Passport" to the European Market
EN 16005 is the European safety standard for "power operated pedestrian doorsets." It has been mandatory in EU member states since 2013. Covering the entire process from design and manufacturing to installation and maintenance, it is a necessary condition for obtaining the CE mark.
Overview of EN 16005 Core Requirements
| Core requirements | Specific explanation | Implications for manufacturers |
| Risk assessment | A comprehensive risk assessment must be conducted for each automatic door installation project to identify all potential hazards. | The product design must be capable of enabling installers to easily conduct on-site risk assessments. |
| Sensors and protection devices | The movement area of the door body must be fully covered by sensors to detect people and obstacles and prevent collisions. | High-performance sensors that meet the standards must be selected and clear installation guidelines must be provided. |
| safe distance | It stipulates the minimum safety distance between the door leaf and the surrounding fixed structures (such as walls) to prevent pinching injuries. | The product design drawings and installation manuals must clearly indicate these safety distance requirements. |
| Emergency evacuation | In emergency situations (such as fire or power failure), the door must be able to be opened manually or automatically (optional). | Provide reliable emergency evacuation plans, such as the "breakout" function (emergency push). |
| Identification and Documentation | Clear safety warning signs must be pasted on the door, and a complete user and maintenance manual should be provided to the owner. | Prepare standardized documents and labels in many language versions. |
Key Point: EN 16005 emphasizes a risk assessment-based overall solution, not just the product itself. OUTUS products fully consider all requirements of EN 16005 from the initial design stage and provide comprehensive technical support and documentation for our European partners to ensure every project is fully compliant.
ANSI/BHMA A156.10: The Key to the US Market
ANSI/BHMA A156.10 is the standard for "power operated pedestrian doors" developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA). It is the primary regulation that must be followed for selling and installing automatic doors in the US market.
Overview of ANSI/BHMA A156.10 Core Requirements
| Core requirements | Specific explanation | Similarities and differences with EN 16005 |
| Sensor system (Knowing Act & Safety) | Clearly distinguish between "start sensors" (such as manual buttons) and "Safety sensors" (Safety, to prevent collisions). | The concepts are similar, but there are more specific and standardized requirements for the types and arrangements of sensors. |
| Division of door areas | The area around the door is divided into "door leaf movement zone", "adjacent zone", etc., and different requirements are put forward for the sensor coverage of each zone. | It is more detailed and quantified than the regional division in EN 16005. |
| The speed and force of opening/closing | There are clear quantitative limits on the maximum movement speed of the door body, the closing time and the maximum force applied to the obstacles. | The requirements are more specific than EN 16005 and need to be verified through precise tests. |
| Guide Rails | For some types of sliding doors, it is mandatory to install guide railings to prevent pedestrians from entering dangerous areas from the side. | This is a very unique and mandatory requirement of the ANSI/BHMA standard. |
| Daily safety inspection | The owner is required to check the basic safety functions of the automatic door every day. | It emphasizes the daily responsibilities of the owner, and the manufacturer needs to provide clear inspection guidelines. |
Key Point: ANSI/BHMA A156.10 is, in many aspects, more prescriptive and quantitative than EN 16005, with very specific requirements regarding sensor configuration, guide rails, etc. Companies planning to enter the US market must strictly adhere to these details from the product design phase.
Summary: Compliance is the First Step to Globalization
For Chinese automatic door companies aspiring to go global, understanding and meeting EN 16005 and ANSI/BHMA A156.10 is not just a technical issue but a strategic one. It requires companies to:
1. Prioritize R&D: Integrate the requirements of both major standards into the product design phase, rather than modifying them afterwards.
2. Conduct Testing & Validation: Establish or commission third-party testing capabilities that comply with the standards, ensuring each product undergoes rigorous validation.
3. Maintain Comprehensive Documentation: Prepare complete, professional, and multilingual technical documents, installation manuals, and maintenance guides.
4. Empower Partners: Provide comprehensive training and support on compliance to overseas installers and distributors.
OUTUS always prioritizes safety and compliance. Our core product series were developed with the requirements of both EN 16005 and ANSI/BHMA A156.10 simultaneously in mind, ensuring our global partners can confidently apply OUTUS products to the most demanding projects anywhere in the world.
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